The GOLD OF EXODUS

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When a millionaire adventurer goes in search of the true Mount Sinai, he gets more than he bargained for. Spies, missiles, and secret military installations are just some of the obstacles that Larry Williams and his sidekick Bob Cornuke must confront in their unprecedented journey to find the lost treasures of Moses. In The Gold of Exodus, award-winning journalist Howard Blum records a page-turning story of an adventure that makes history. While risking their necks by sneaking into the xenophobic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, amateur archaeologists Williams and Cornuke become pawns in a game of international espionage that eventually leads them to the top of the most sacred mountain in the world, and into the hands of shotgun-wielding Bedouins. The Gold of Exodus is a true story that is too unbelievable to be fiction, too suspenseful to be put down, and too significant to soon be forgotten.

Book Description

Mount Sinai. For many, it is the most sacred place on Earth—the site where God descended to give Moses the Ten Commandments. Yet for centuries, mankind has not known its exact location. In this heart-pounding true story, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Howard Blum tells the enthralling account of two modern-day adventurers—Larry Williams, a two-time Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from Montana and a self-made millionaire, and his friend Bob Cornuke, a retired policemen and former SWAT team member. Lured by the prospect of finding the fabled fortune in gold that the ancient Hebrews took with them when they fled from Egypt, the two men set out to find the true site of Mount Sinai—with only the Old Testament as a guide.

Eminent biblical scholars at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania have argued that Mount Sinai is not in the Sinai Peninsula at all, but rather in northwestern Saudi Arabia. However, they were never allowed into the kingdom to prove their argument. When Cornuke and Williams are also denied entry, they daringly sneak into Saudi Arabia. And what they discover at the mountain known as Jabal al Lawz will astonish the world—and inspire readers to rethink the role of the Bible in history. They find the remains of the stone altar at which the Golden Calf was worshiped, the twelve pillars that Moses ordered to be erected, the cave where Moses slept, and, most sensationally, the unnaturally scorched spot on the mountaintop where God gave Moses the two stone tablets. They also explain, in a fascinating account, the truth about the parting of the Red Sea waters. And not the least of their discoveries is the fact that one of the most sacred spots on earth is now a top secret Saudi military base. As these two adventurers follow in Moses' footsteps, they become pawns in a dangerous game of international power politics and intrigue, This action-packed tale—part high-tech treasure hunt, part modern-day spy thriller, and part biblical detective story—is riveting. And it is all true.

Download Description

Howard Blum tells the account of two modern-day adventurers - Larry Williams, a two-time Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from Montana and a self-made millionaire, and his friend Bob Cornuke, a retired policemen and former SWAT team member. Lured by the prospect of finding the fabled fortune in gold that the ancient Hebrews took with them when they fled from Egypt, the two men set out to find the true site of Mount Sinai - with only the Old Testament as a guide. Eminent biblical scholars at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania have argued that Mount Sinai is not in the Sinai peninsula at all, but rather in northwestern Saudi Arabia. However, they were never allowed into the kingdom to prove their argument. When Cornuke and Williams are also denied entry, they daringly sneak into Saudi Arabia. And what they discover at the mountain known as Jabal al Lawz will astonish the world - and inspire readers to rethink the role of the Bible in history. They find the remains of the stone altar at which the Golden Calf was worshiped, the twelve pillars that Moses ordered to be erected, the cave where Moses slept, and, most sensationally, the unnaturally scorched spot on the mountaintop where God gave Moses the two stone tablets. They also explain, in a fascinating account, the truth about the parting of the Red Sea waters. And not the least of their discoveries is the fact that one of the most sacred spots on earth is now a top secret Saudi military base. As these two adventurers follow in Moses' footsteps, they become pawns in a dangerous game of international power politics and intrigue.

Customer Reviews:

Treasure Now Found.......2005-09-28

In the book, there are two guys. Their names are Larry Williams, a self made millionaire, and Bob Cornuke, a retired police officer and a former Swat-team member. Larry Williams is also an archaeologist and he hears rumors that the real Mount Sinai (the mountain where god gave Moses the Ten Commandments) is actually in present day Saudia Arabian, on Mount Jabal al Lawz. They want to make sure that they are right, so they actually follow the route on which they believe the Hebrews used to get out of Egypt. After a couple of days, they realize that this must be the way that they took. Every single detail that is in the bible they find. When the get to what they believe is the Reds Sea, They go scuba diving in it. They find the prove that they need and Larry almost gets eaten by a shark.
They finally find a way into Saudia Arabian. They run into several problems like their rooms get broken into, someone is following them and their batteries are missing for their supplies. When their journey finally ends and they get to Mount Jabal al Lawz, they find that the mountain has actually been turned into a military base and is surrounded by guards. Will they survive? You have to read to find out.
I liked how the book switched between Larry and Bobs perspective. The only thing that I didn't like is how the book started the book by starting at the end and flashing back.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to research the bible or is interested in the bible.

Bad, bad book.......2005-04-22

This book is written like a 4th-rate children's adventure story. From the spy story to the lead "characters" furtive journey into Saudi Arabia to their diving expedition - it's all so full of hyperbole and exaggeration that the pictures of the book are needed to convince the reader that the trip happened at all.

The author's genius, if you could call it that, is taking real people and re-casting them as one-dimensional cardboard characters. The way these treasure-less "treasure hunters" go about the task of finding the Exodus treasure makes them appear more clueless and dumb than I believe humans could have been in real life.

In one passage, one of our heroes can't get his metal detector working. He painstakingly completely disassembles and re-assembles the machine and cannot figure out the problem. His genius partner suggests he checks the batteries. Wow, they're missing! And they aren't just missing. No, they were stolen from the machine by the mysterious unnamed spies that are constantly following the pair and attempting to thwart their journey. Right! It hurts to read this book.

Not to spoil the end of this ridiculous tale, but they don't find one ounce of gold or any other treasure. I searched on the web and found numerous point-by-point rebuttals of the "Sinai in Arabia" thesis of the book. The most concise I read was "Problems with Mt. Sinai in Saudi Arabia" by Brad Sparks. Look it up and read this free well-written paper rather than waste any time with the silly "Gold" book.

Unlikely tale with no research content.......2003-12-28

I have the hardest time getting rid of books, and every purge of the family library ends up being a long series of painful decisions. Yet I had no trouble giving away this book after the first reading.

I would like to give at least some praise before discussing the weaknesses of this book - but I have the hardest time finding any. The idea is entertaining and some of the travel scenes are exotic and unusual.

That said, the book as a whole is poor in many respects. The writing is, at most, unremarkable. The chapters of the book are poorly architected, and it is sometimes difficult to understand why one follows the other. The thesis in the story is both unlikely and unbelievable, and there is not an iota of proof to any of the many rather incredible assumptions. Finally, some of the "facts" in the story (i.e. what the authors say they actually did and saw) are somewhat difficult to believe.

I thought that this was about the narrative of a new set of biblical archeology finds along with some controversial analysis. What the book really is, is a poorly written travelogue along with the expose of a thesis whose theme is about as well proven as the idea that aliens built the pyramids.

I normally see some redeeming value, or a potential audience, for most of the books I read. In this case, I would say: by any means stay away, even shipping costs only would be too high a price for this book.

A very Odd account.......2003-10-30

I'm not sure what to say here. THis is a very odd book from someone who has written two other great books. Blum's account of the Jewish Brigade in WWI and hisa account of the Yom Kippur War(Eve of Destruction) are both marvelous and TRUE accounts of the events. Having done extensive research on te Yom Kippur war I can vouch for 'Eve of Destruction's' authenticity. Yet this book seems oddly out there.

First of all the two men this book chronicles Larry Williams and Robert Cornuke have both written books on the subject detailing their adventure. Now the problem is that the books are in conflict. WIliams book details two trips while Cornukes book is ambivlent on whether he has found Mt. Sinai and he does not mention Israeli Mossad. So this deminishes the books credibility.

The Saudi archeological service cannot be trusted. Many people claim that the book must be wrong because the Kingdom of Saudi has destributed some pictures of the painting described in this book and these painting look more european then biblical. Well who trusts the Saudi internal government, which is a dictatorship and has no reason to release evidence about this mountain, especially if such evidence will bring millions of non-Mulsims to the kingdom for pilgrimage. Saudi already has one holy cty, it doesnt want another.

THis book is not racism as some claim nor is it 'offensive' it is merely an exploration of the Biblical site of Mt. Sinai. THose that accuse this book of being offfensive because these guys had to sneak into Saudi should instead accuse the Saudis of offense for not allowing international research teams to search their country for non-muslim archeology.

The Kingdom of Saudi does have a lax intelligence service if your an ex-SWAT member and this is clear from the many terrorist attacks on U.S installations in the kingdom so those that say this cant be true because oft he vaunted Saudi intelligence service are also wrong. Saudi, as the book shows, is a fuedal state that lives in the modrn world.

Those that say the discovery, if true, has ramifactions for the worlds religions are wrong. It has no ramification for any of the religions. Mt Sinai is where god gave the commandments and the laws to Moses.

An interesting book

Truth is Funner than Fiction.......2003-08-05

This book reads like the best of the best spy novels. It flows. It has suspense. It has shady characters and heroes. Espionage,danger, intrigue, exotic locations. Biblical artifacts. And it is all true! Makes the adventure come alive and reads like a ride on a roller coaster. I have put down works of fiction half read and implausible. I raced through this book. I gave it all the free time I could spare. It was simply wonderful. And I keep seeing evidence that a movie is on the way. Step aside, Indiana. These guys are real! And they are messing around in your playground.

Average customer rating:

Huaoranis understood
Jaw-Dropper
Offers some compelling points
What is a Savage?
Another good one by Joe Kane

Savages
Joe Kane
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679740198
Release Date: 1996-08-27

Amazon.com

In this impressive, funny and moving work, Joe Kane tells the story of the Huaorani, a tribe living in the deepest part of the Amazonian rain forest in Ecuador. The Huaorani have only in the last generation been exposed to such items as the wristwatch. But the modern world is reaching them quickly; for better or worse--usually worse--they live astride some of Ecuador's richest oilfields. Oil production in the Amazon has opened the forest to colonization and industrialization, often with alarming results: about 17 million gallons, of raw crude, more than in the Valdez spill in Alaska, were spilled from a Amazon pipeline between 1972 and 1989. Kane, who lived with the Huaorani for months, immaculately reports on the tribes' connections with the old world and its battles with the new one.

Book Description

Savages is a firsthand account, by turn hilarious, heartbreaking, and thrilling, of a small band of Amazonian warriors and their battle to preserve their way of life. Includes eight pages of photos.

Customer Reviews:

Huaoranis understood.......2006-03-22

I found this book very readable and as I was reading it I started to feel like I knew the Huaoranis and feel their pain. Joe Kane may be an anthropologist but he does not write in a manner that makes you think that the Huaoranis are his study subjects. By the time I finished the book I felt like I had been there with them and certainly understood them much better than before. I also became very aware of the horrific destruction caused by the oil companies.

Jaw-Dropper.......2006-02-17

He paints the Huaorani people in a very human light. The Huaorani are a people very misunderstood; they are portrayed by others as vicious, savage, and ignorant people and are exploited by powerful outside forces. This book has opened my eyes to a culture that I never knew existed, one which I now love and am deeply fascinated by. I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone looking for more than an adventure. Be prepared to have your horizons widened.

Offers some compelling points.......2005-04-15

I had to read this book for a geology class in college and it definitely raises some interesting points about oil companies, labor abuse laws, poverty, monopoly, and how the people of the land are affected by drilling. The book is all over the place at some points, however, as pages upon pages of detail are given about a boat expedition leading to nowhere while important facts about the oil companies are limited to concise paragraph descriptions.

While I enjoyed the book overall, I wish Kane would have focused more on the importance of what he was tring to say. I understand he had to be objective, but there's not much to be objective about involving the wipeout of an entire culture. Reccomended for those interested in environmental science and human rights.

What is a Savage?.......2004-04-12

Joe Kane, author of best selling 'Running the Amazon', has tackled a subject often thought of as being the job of anthropologists and the like. As a reporter, Kane has done a good job of relaying details such as the environment the Huaorani live in and the details of the oil industry that looms over their part of the Ecuadorian Amazon. As mentioned in another review, the anthropological insite Kane offers in response to Huaorani culture and how it has changed and adapted to its situation leaves something to be desired. That said, I do not find this to be a problem. Kane is writing for an audience that would probably find most anthropological scholarly texts dry and unintersting, but he has managed to explain the conflict that has arisen due to oil exploitation in the rainforest, all the while demonstrating the effects this exploitation has on humans in the area. I wa spleased to see that Kane demonstrated how the Huaorani have formed a sort of resistance to the destruction of the environment they call home by using conduits provided by external political groups, thus demonstrating how the marginalized make themselves known. The book is engagingly written and Kane, while unable to hide his anti-corporate and anti-oil exploitation sentiments (with which I agree), has made a worthy case for the halting of oil exploitation at the level it was (and still is) being carried on in the Amazon.

Another good one by Joe Kane.......2003-11-17

Have you read Kane's Running the Amazon? Here's another good one. It even won the Bay Area Book Reviewers Assoc Award in 1995. Kane travels to Ecuador to live for a while with the Huaorani tribal people as their Stone Age culture bumps against the 20th Century.
The Huaorani eventually befriended Kane, but at the beginning, it was just as likely that they might murder him, as they had fairly recently killed a missionary and several others they considered enemies. Something about Kane made them feel comfortable - lucky for him.
Kane intersperses magical vignettes of tribal life with historical and sociological information in a way that makes his book imminently readable by ordinary readers like me as well as my scholars and sociologists.
It's a good one.

Gay L. A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, And Lipstick Lesbians

Average customer rating:

More engaging than a Hollywood script
Great book
Important, timely and well-written history
A lively and revealing history
some interesting sections

Gay L. A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, And Lipstick Lesbians
Lillian Faderman , and Stuart Timmons
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Award-winning historian Lillian Faderman teams with journalist Stuart Timmons to write the first history of gay life in America's ultimate frontier town: Los Angeles

The exhortation to "Go West!" has always had a strong hold on the American imagination. But for the gays, lesbians, and transgendered people who have moved to L.A. over the past two centuries, the City of Angels has offered a special home--which, in turn, gave rise to one of the most influential gay cultures in the world.

Drawing upon untouched archives of documents and photographs and over 200 new interviews, Lillian Faderman and Stuart Timmons chart L.A.'s unique gay history, from the first missionary encounters with Native American cross-gendered "two spirits" to cross-dressing frontier women in search of their fortunes; from the bohemian freedom of early Hollywood to the explosion of gay life during World War II to the underground radicalism sparked by the 1950s blacklist; from the 1960s gay liberation movement to the creation of gay marketing in the 1990s. Faderman and Timmons show how geography, economic opportunity, and a constant influx of new people created a city that was more compatible to gay life than any other in America. Combining broad historical scope with deftly wrought stories of real people, from the Hollywood sound stage to the barrio, Gay L.A. is American social history at its best.

Customer Reviews:

More engaging than a Hollywood script.......2007-06-10

Gay L.A. is fascinating from beginning to end, from the history of gay and lesbian actors in the 1920s to the LGBT community's political power and media visibility today. A surprising number of gay and lesbian cultural institutions had their start in Los Angeles: the Advocate magazine, churches and synagogues, groups representing the diverse ethnic communities in L.A., and countless others.

The history of oppression in the 1940s, '50s, and early '60s is especially chilling. Gay men and women in the post-war era could be arrested simply on suspicion of being gay. Gay activists were hindered by a legal system that forbade the mailing of any kind of publication that mentioned homosexuality until 1958, when the Supreme Court ruled they too had freedom of speech and press, something a lower court had denied.

If you read the sections on the mid-20th century along with books about that era like The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the DecadesBefore Roe v. Wade, about pregnant unmarried women who were forced to leave home to give birth and relinquish their children, it becomes clearer why nuclear families seemed ubiquitous during the 1950s: Everyone else had been silenced or exiled.

Great book.......2006-12-12

I read about gay rights in the news every week, but never knew much about the background of this movement. Gay L.A. is a great read and opens up a new world of activism, secret lives, and entire underground societies. It's easy to think that New York and San Francisco were responsible for all the gay breakthroughs, but Los Angeles has an amazing story. This book also tells the story of gay women as well as gay men, which is fascinating. This book is carefully footnoted, but is written like an epic novel, reaching back into the 1800s. It's free of the political dogma and academic jargon that can weigh down similar books. Like it or not, L.A. is one of America's major cities, and what's so interesting is that it's a bunch of small towns, beaches, immigrants and Hollywood all rolled into one. You learn so much about the city itself as well as the gay world, which had to be hidden until recently. I strongly recommend it.

Important, timely and well-written history.......2006-12-11

Gay L.A." is an important, very comprehensive and inspiring book--one that we've all been waiting for! It is packed with two-centuries worth of fascinating information, but it doesn't read like a boring history book at all. I was intrigued by all stuff I didn't know: the role of gay people in the city's early formation and especially the decades of corrupt oppression that were to follow. There is also a lot of new information about the Hollywood-studio era and the beginnings of the gay liberation movement in Los Angeles. This book really held my interest throughout. The Los Angeles Times gave it a full-page rave review, which "Gay L.A." certainly deserves.

A lively and revealing history.......2006-12-06

[Disclaimer: Co-author Stuart Timmons is a friend of mine.]

I very much enjoyed the book. Certainly, those of us who lived through some of the events and who know or knew some of the people will enjoy the tale. And many folks, particularly newer generations, don't know much about this history at all. There's also plenty of new research, leading to rich detail that's never been told before.

Tales of Hollywood celebrities are culturally important, but are only one part of the much larger story of gay L.A. told in this book. More interesting to me, for example, are the variant sexualities of Native Americans ruthlessly suppressed by missionaries, the prominence of nineteenth century transvetites, the lurching evolution of sexual law and politics, and much more.

some interesting sections.......2006-12-01

I read this mainly as a Hollywood historian. Many many parts of this book are quite interesting, but unfortunately it contains the usual outing of the dead with little or no evidence to support it, just a lot of hopeful rumors from wishful thinkers. "So and so may have been," "everything says he was" etc.

One of the reviewers said that people who are alive and can sue are spared this type of statement in the book. I really don't know why because it shouldn't be libel to say someone is gay - perhaps that's just my opinion, having been in show business and having gay friends. My understanding of the libel laws are that the truth is your best defense. So why isn't the author outing living people? Why is it always the dead who are discussed, with the stories growing more and more exaggerated with each passing year?

One blatant inaccuracy is the suggestion that Tyrone Power may have been "kept" in his earlier days. I'd like to know what earlier days these are, as he lived with his mother, cousin Bob and his sister until he got married in 1939. If somebody kept him, they did a lousy job because before he got to Hollywood, he didn't have red cent and had holes in his shoes. I don't know how a responsible writer has the nerve to print something like that when Power has a large, living family who can dispute it, as is being done right now.

I worked and lived in Hollywood. I know a lot of people, now deceased, who were gay. None of them - and I mean none of them - have ever been mentioned in a book. If you want to keep something secret, you do. Everybody and their mother doesn't know it; otherwise, these actors would have been blackmailed within an inch of their lives and, I might add, be subject to books by former lovers. If a hairdresser can claim an affair with Humphrey Bogart, and a woman can write a book about her affair with Cary Grant, where are all these gay lovers and their books? Besides, of course, Rock Hudson's.

The Greatest Firefighter Stories Never Told

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What A Great Book!
A Good Book but a Little Insensitive
Good book... the greatest? Doubtful...

The Greatest Firefighter Stories Never Told
Mike Santangelo , Mara Bovsun , and Allan Zullo
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0740728202

Book Description

The firefighters who lost their lives in the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center have become well-known-and rightfully so. But firefighters throughout America risk life and limb every day, many times without any acknowledgement whatsoever, let alone fame or fortune.In The Greatest Firefighter Stories Never Told, authors Mike Santangelo, Mara Bovsun and Allan Zullo have collected more than two dozen gripping accounts of America's bravest heroes, those who save lives every day as they rush in to rescue others. From airport firefighters to hazardous materials experts, from forest firefighters to high-elevation rescuers, from smoke jumpers to harbor firefighters, The Greatest Firefighter Stories Never Told captivates readers with its focus on the fresh and fascinating tales of real heroes and those they save.Several stories highlight some of the courageous firefighters of the New York Fire Department who were on hand during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Already, the department's heroism has captured America's heart. These gripping, in-depth stories will put names and faces to those most deserving of worldwide recognition.

Customer Reviews:

What A Great Book!.......2006-03-13

I really enjoyed reading this book. It truly exceeded my expectations. I would recommend it to just about anyone.

A Good Book but a Little Insensitive.......2005-01-28

The first reviewer is correct in saying that this is a very good book full of thrilling stories about firefighters which I have truly enjoyed.

However, I was surprised and disappointed in the story entitled, "A Weighty Matter", where a firefighter is justly concerned about how he is going to get a woman who weighs 75 lbs. more than he does out of a burning basement in a nightclub. That he is annoyed by this is understandable given that her life and his were in the balance.

His attitude towards her weight while human would have been better left out of the story, however. The other survivors and victims in this book were portrayed with compassion and respect while this terrified, overweight woman was not. The authors mentioned that the woman never came back to thank this firefighter. My guess is that she got out with her life but not with her dignity.

I am a great fan of firefighters and appreciate as much as any civilian can the dangers and uncertainties that they face every day. I can understand the firefighter's feeling the way he did about this woman and that he only joked with her to ease the tension. I can understand the comments he may have made about her size back at the firehouse where tension is released after the dangers faced every day. And mostly, he risked himself to save her life.

I just don't feel that his feelings and attitudes should have been published in this book. She deserves more respect than that.

Good book... the greatest? Doubtful..........2004-10-13

This is a very good book, especially for those who dream of becoming a firefighter. This does little to tell the actual stories of firefighters, however. It is more a collection of tales to thrill rather than to give insight. Any book by former firefighters such as Dennis Smith would be a better read for firefighters.

Showdown: Confronting Bias, Lies, and the Special Interests that Divide America

Average customer rating:

"10 Things" was better
not as good as his other books
Sweet Sounds of the Sage from South Central
Shows the true side of government as well as himself!
Larry Elder's Solutions to the Problems Facing America

Showdown: Confronting Bias, Lies, and the Special Interests that Divide America
Larry Elder
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312301790

Book Description

The Ten Things You Cant Say in America struck a chord with eager readers across the country, exposing truths others have been too afraid to address. In his new book, Elder is out to slay entrenched and enmeshed special interest groups, government agencies with the capacity to meddle in Amerians lives and businesses, lawmakers who continue a pattern of outrageous overtaxation, and those who would hamstring this country with good intentions. Showdown demonstrates how the nation would be better, stronger, and safer with less government intervention and how individuals would not only cope but thrive without the so-called social safety net. Showdown is a call to arms for a truly free society. Elder discusses: What a Republican-led government means for progress Where a responsible government would put its citizens tax dollars Why racial and sex discrimination are non-issues in the 21st century.Larry Elders straight talk and common-sense solutions spare no one and will inspire his passionate and growing audience.

Customer Reviews:

"10 Things" was better.......2007-09-04

I'm a huge fan of Larry Elder and have listened to his program daily during my commute in Los Angeles for years. I actually listened to an audio version of this book a few years ago before reading it recently, and it's kind of like night and day.

The audio version is like listening to a radio program or a monologue, but when I actually read the book I was amazed with the extended passages and quotes from other authors and experts - sometimes a page or more. Regardless of the topic, gun control, ending the welfare state, criticizing Republican leadership or pointing out media bias, Elder tacks on his on thoughts to the end of these extended quotes instead of making his own case in his own words. There isn't enough Larry in this book for me!

My impression reading this book was that is was put together quickly. "The 10 Things..." felt very well thought out instead of rushed to the shelves. I'm not saying I disagree with the points Elder is trying to make, just that they could have been presented in a more compelling read than this one.

not as good as his other books.......2006-12-21

It's not bad by any stretch, but it's not nearly as good as Elder's the 10 things you can't say in America.

Sweet Sounds of the Sage from South Central.......2006-04-23

Larry Elder's book, Showdown, is an excellent look at the shortcomings of many policymakers, educators and journalists in America.

One particular chapter of Showdown that I enjoyed discusses the importance of having a father present in a son's life. He provides some great statistical data to back up his claims, but also points out that it's common sense: A boy's chances of succeeding in life are much higher when they have a father present in their life. So often, we hear about how racism or poverty cause young, inner-city black men to commit crimes. However, Larry Elder points out the obvious and tells the truth.

Shows the true side of government as well as himself!.......2006-01-21

I find Larry's thoughts are honest whether you like them or not. I have a problem with his thoughts on Medicare and Social Security. I am thirty-eight and have epilepsy. I'm unable to work or drive due to the harm I could do to myself or others. Perhaps Mr. Elder will give me a job. I'll take it! Do you think he will send his limo to pick me up for and take me home from work?

Larry Elder's Solutions to the Problems Facing America.......2005-07-20

Larry Elder hosts a popular radio talk show in the Los Angeles, California area and he is known for his outspoken yet respectable commentary on the social and political issues of the day. Elder caused quite a stir a few years back when he published a book titled "The Ten Things You Can't Say in America". In that book, he spoke plainly and directly about many controversial subjects such as racism, family, media bias, the welfare state, and gun control. In "Showdown", he basically talks about the same topics with some more facts and additional commentary on each.

Elder feels that much is wrong with the political and social state we live in. He proposes several steps to remedy the negative situations and they all involve a return to personal freedom and the personal responsibility that goes with it. Elder feels we should rollback the welfare state and return to a nation where people are self- sufficient. He feels we should reject those individuals like Jesse Jackson who extort money from corporations using exaggerated and/or false claims of racism. He feels that a traditional two- parent family is important to the well- being of children. To sum it up, Elder takes a Libertarian stand on political and social issues and if you think in terms of liberty and personal responsibility, you should have no problem figuring out his positions on important issues without even opening this book.

Much of this same material was covered in Elder's last book. But there is one thing that makes this book a little different and Elder mentions it throughout: The attacks of September 11, 2001. Elder feels that fighting terrorists is paramount to our survival as a nation and he feels we should fight with all our power to defeat those who commit these heinous acts. He doesn't specifically say what should be done; how to pay for it; or how to reconcile this "war" with his own principled stand on personal liberty. But you can tell that this event had had a profound impact on Elder, much like it did with other political commentators, because he makes mention of it many times as you read.

Elder spends most of this book rehashing what he talked about in his last book, and this made the book a little less enjoyable than it otherwise would have been. I got a copy of Showdown and opened it up hoping for some new, fresh material complete with Elder's own pro- freedom diagnosis. Instead, the book touched on the same subjects that were discussed last time around, including racism, affirmative action, illegitimacy, gun rights, liberal media bias, etc. The only thing that was really different was the inclusion of the "war on terror" and how it has impacted the way we, as Americans, must now look at the world.

Elder is libertarian, but in this book, his approach seems slightly different from that of a few years ago. Now, Elder's political stands seem more conservative- like he has moved in a southeasterly direction on the political Nolan chart and has found a new home bordering on right- conservative. He still criticizes Bush and other Republicans and he doesn't accept the socially conservative agendas of these and other political figures completely. But it's obvious that he is moving closer to the Republican Party and this has been confirmed by Elder's "after word" section in later releases of Showdown where he refers to himself as a Republican. I'm a little surprised that Elder would do this, considering the harsh words he has leveled against Republicans over the years. But I assume he felt that since he is more of a Republican than a Democrat, he might as well give in and choose one of the two major parties to call his home.

Overall, "Showdown" is a good book, with many sensible solutions to the political and social problems that Americans face in the twenty- first century. It isn't quite as good or as fresh as Elder's "Ten Things you Can't Say in America", but this is still a good book to read for its common sense analysis and its dry, often sarcastic wit. The book places an emphasis on liberty and responsibility, challenging Americans and their political leaders to reexamine they way they view the world and it makes a good choice for intellectual reading.

Adventure Divas: Searching the Globe for Women Who Are Changing the World

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Adventure Divas
Adventure Divas
Awakening the nomad
Morris in Theroux League
Grrl Power!

Adventure Divas: Searching the Globe for Women Who Are Changing the World
Holly Morris
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375760636
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Book Description

After years of working behind a desk, Holly Morris had finally had enough. So she quit her job and set out to prove that adventure is not just a vacation style but a philosophy of living and to find like-minded, risk-taking women around the globe. With modest backing, a small television crew, her spirited producer-mother, Jeannie, and a whole lot of chutzpah, Morris tracked down artists, activists, and politicos–women of action who are changing the rules and sometimes the world around them.

In these pages, Morris brings to life the remarkable people and places she’s encountered on the road while filming her PBS series Adventure Divas and other programs. We meet Assata Shakur, a former Black Panther and social activist and now a fugitive living in exile in Cuba; Kiran Bedi, New Delhi’s chief of police, who revolutionized India’s infamously brutal Tijar Jail with her humanitarian ethic; New Zealand pop star Hinewehi Mohi, a Maori who reinvigorates her native culture for a new generation; and Mokarrameh Ghanbari, a septuagenarian painter and rice farmer who lives in the tiny village of Darikandeh on the Caspian plains of Iran, where her creative talents run counter to the government’s strict stance on art.

Along the way, Morris herself becomes a certified Adventure Diva, as she hunts for wild boar with Penan tribesmen in the jungles of Borneo, climbs the Matterhorn short-roped to a salty fourth-generation Swiss guide, and memorably becomes the first woman ever to enter the traditional camel race of the Saharan oasis town of Timia.

Intelligent, phenomenally funny, and chock-full of rich and telling details of place, Adventure Divas is a pro-woman chronicle for the twenty-first century. In a pilgrimage fueled by curiosity, ideology, and full-on estrogen power, Holly Morris has paved the way for all of us to discover our own diva within and set out on our own adventures.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Adventure Divas.......2006-08-14

Morris launched the television show Adventure Divas to showcase women around the world--activists, artists and politicians--creating social and political change. In its companion book, readers hear how the crew filmed in Cuba, New Zealand, India and Iran for PBS (now on DVD). Like its short, playful name, the project invokes a broad audience and indicates the challenge of broadcasting hopefulness alongside complex global concerns. Unfortunately, Morris's book often breezes through women's stories and could minimize the focus on her own divadom. Nonetheless, interesting stories abound. Adventure Divas' mission of bringing women to the forefront through media delivers inspiration. Most importantly, it provides a model for future media divas to build on

Adventure Divas.......2006-07-03

I love it! Love it! Holly writes with pure honesty, vision, openness and salted with tongue-in-check humor. For any women who has ever dreamed of travel, new adventures and meeting the unmeetable, this is the book to read. It left me wanting more!! By the way, Im Debbi, Roberts wife.

Awakening the nomad.......2006-06-25

As an aspiring travel writer who has been relatively stationary for awhile now, I found it hard to put down Holly's book. Her writing brought life to lands and people I've only dreamt about seeing/meeting someday. What I love is how her sense of self came through--she is honest in her pursuits. The book is a perfect combination of her own thoughts, well-chosen dialogue, and historical references.
Her words and stories awoke the nomad inside me that has been under forced dormancy for too long. She made me want to grab my dusty backpack and hit the road once again to continue making my own discoveries.
I look forward to reading about all the new adventures someday soon!

Morris in Theroux League.......2006-05-20

Holly Morris did an incredible job with this book. As a traveller who has been to 150 countries, I have digested a lot of travel writing. Holly's style is fresh, inciteful, exciting, real. She really puts you in the scene, and those scenes are often fascinating. I like her writing as much as Paul Theroux and hope she not only continues her world adventures, but also shares them with us.

Bill Kizorek, CEO, Two Parrot Productions

Grrl Power!.......2006-03-20

As a woman working in a male dominated profession, I am always on the prowl for soul sisters, women, who like myself, are not afraid to slog waist high through cypress domes or machete their way through the rainforests of central Honduras. We women of nature and exploration are a tribe of our own and I was grateful that Holly Morris put her experiences together in this book. It is refreshing and invigorating to read about women world wide who live unapologetically on their own terms.

The Paradox of American Democracy: Elites, Special Interests, and the Betrayal of the Public Trust

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very informative
A cogent explanation of how we got here...
Awful
Great in understanding America's (corrupt) democracy

The Paradox of American Democracy: Elites, Special Interests, and the Betrayal of the Public Trust
John B. Judis
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 041593026X

Amazon.com

As the United States faces what many see as another lackluster election in November 2000, John B. Judis's The Paradox of American Democracy addresses the decline of public participation in national politics over the course of the 20th century. He persuasively attributes the blame to the deteriorated relationship between unions and grassroots activists and the elite policy foundations that often championed their causes, a relationship eroded by self-interested businessmen and populist demagoguery. American political life, Judis writes, was never strictly a contest between popular and wealthy special-interest groups. Public policy organizations such as the Ford Foundation and the Brookings Institution, for example, have pushed for, or refereed, legislation for social, economic, and political reform that benefited labor, civil rights, and environmental activists. Since the 1970s, though, think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute have pursued their own economic interests by forging links with reactionary populist groups like the Moral Majority, silencing progressive voices less able to present their interests amidst the onslaught of corporate propaganda. Public policy, Judis feels, is now formed primarily by lobbyists rather than those concerned about the broader public welfare.

Paradox presents a detailed portrait of how organized political blocs, independent public policy foundations, and the federal government have interacted over the last 100 years, and how the relationship has been eroded by corporate priorities. While his facts are correct, Judis's fondness for the hegemonic social order of FDR's New Deal and Lyndon Johnson's Great Society might raise objections from sympathetic readers who feel that vital leftist energy was co-opted by post-Fordism, not enabled by it. The link between activists' declining access to power and the dwindling electoral turnout could also be made more explicit. Judis nevertheless provides a brisk and informative history of the structure of American civic life. --John M. Anderson

Book Description

Washington is big business. The era of civic-minded captains of industry and serious think-tanks has given way to the heyday of K Street, home to the lobbyists who now spend $2.4 million a year on each member of Congress.

John B. Judis, a senior editor for the New Republic, conducts an instructive tour through this corridor of money and power in The Paradox of American Democracy-with eye-opening results. For example: Former foreign policy advisers now become lobbyists for foreign businesses. Former Senators call for privatizing social security while sitting on boards of investment banks that would benefit from the conversion. The bankers, lawyers, and business people who once devoted time to public service now confine their activity to lobbying for their firms.

The Paradox of American Democracy turns the conventional view of democracy on it's head. Judis shows that it's never been enough to have active political participation; American democracy has always depended on an enlightened political establishment-with only the nation's best interest in mind-to shape public opinion. Our political system suffers today because the lawyers, professors and former government officials who once made up of the establishment have put their minds and reputations at the service of moneyed special interests. Rather than balancing the interests of business and populists, the elites-and their money-are now firmly on the side of business.

With widespread cynicism so completely undermining our institutions, The Paradox of American Democracy cuts to the heart of today's debate on why our systems is broken, and what we can do to fix it.

Customer Reviews:

very informative.......2003-08-01

The most compelling theme of this book to me was its historical explanation of why there seems to be no informed/reasoned middle ground in politics today, which is something I find particularly mystifying and frustrating. The history and mechanics Judis describes of how disinterested elites have disappeared while letterhead advocacy groups have become rampant is very plausible, especially with the numerous detailed examples he cites.

The book might lose a little gas after the Reagan years, but I thought that was OK since Clinton+ has been dissected a million different ways and I wasn't looking for another take on that.

The book also serves as a valuable field guide to policy groups of different stripes. If you are a little fuzzy on the difference between the Heritage Foundation and the Brookings Institute (as I admit I was), then that's a big part of the problem Judis is describing.

A cogent explanation of how we got here..........2002-07-15

Judis is particularly smart about the 1970s, which he characterizes as a moment of conservative and corporate backlash. He suggests that if you follow the money, and the think-tanks, you can see (in part) how and why the right was able to triumph politically in a degraded public sphere once we got to the 1980s and 1990s. The name of the game for them has been propaganda--"Trust us, Mr. Working Man, welfare cheats are what ail you. That and capital gains taxes that are too high."--and they've done it well. Hell, with all the Scaife, Olin, Cato, Heritage, AEI, and CEI doublespeak and disinformation spewed out over the course of the last 3 decades, it's a wonder any of us have any sense left at all. Hopefully, with the eruption of a new corporate scandal every other day in 2002 (nearly all of which have links to the "screw-the-poor-and-the-middle-class / but-fatten-the-rich-and-the-corporations" Bush-Cheney Administration) people are finally beginning to wise up...

Awful.......2001-10-31

Do yourself a favor and avoid this book. Mr. Judis fails miserably to explain why political cynicism seems to be at an all-time high. A devout leftist, Judis relies upon formulaic left wing claptrap to support his thesis that high minded elitists are no longer looking out for the interest of working people, but rather their own self interest. He somehow manages to strech out liberal 'bumper sticker' philosophy for 306 pages, most of it mind numbingly innane. This book is an utter failure, particularly given that his book on WF Buckley was surprisingly neutral and honest. This is the type of drivel you would expect to see from some nutjob writing for Mother Jones, not the New Republic. What a shame.

Great in understanding America's (corrupt) democracy.......2000-06-01

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anybody interested in American history and politics. John B. Judis gives a historic account of how our democracy has been damaged by big money and irresponsible elites, focusing from the progressieve era to today. The book is an easy read, and Judis makes his points well understood. He analyzes how different elites and special interest groups have functioned in America.

The chapters "Business and the Rise of K Street," and "Triumph of Conservatives," were very interesting and thought provoking. Judis gives a closer and infromative look at how political action committees and conservative groups have contributed huge amounts of money to politicians, and how they recently dramatically increased their influence in governments decisions.

The last two chapters are also good in explaining how changes in big business influenceing government even more in the 70's and 80's is hard to shake when dealing with a reform agenda. It is chalk full of statistics that are astounding, and are attributed to respectable sources: PAC's gave 72% of their money to Republicans during the last six weeks of teh 1978 elections.

A problem with this book though is that it blames the Republicans too much when talking about the lack of public participation in politics. I guess that was expected though considering that Mr. Judis is a senior editor of "The New Republic" (a liberal magazine), although he does not seem to be a fan of Clinton. All together this book is very informative and holds your interest. Along with recommending this book, I will recommend reading Jim Hightower's "If the Gods had meant us to vote they would have given us Candidates." It bashed both Republicans and Democrats, and is comparable to this book, however discusses more recent issues.

Book Description

This landmark theoretical book is about the mechanisms by which special interest groups affect policy in modern democracies. Defining a special interest group as any organization that takes action on behalf of an identifiable group of voters, Gene Grossman and Elhanan Helpman ask: How do special interest groups derive their power and influence? What determines the extent to which they are able to affect policy outcomes? What happens when groups with differing objectives compete for influence?

The authors develop important theoretical tools for studying the interactions among voters, interest groups, and politicians. They assume that individuals, groups, and parties act in their own self-interest and that political outcomes can be identified with the game-theoretic concept of an equilibrium. Throughout, they progress from the simple to the more complex. When analyzing campaign giving, for example, they begin with a model of a single interest group and a single, incumbent policy maker. They proceed to add additional interest groups, a legislature with several independent politicians, and electoral competition between rival political parties. The book is organized in three parts. Part I focuses on voting and elections. Part II examines the use of information as a tool for political influence. Part III deals with campaign contributions, which interest groups may use either to influence policy makers’ positions and actions or to help preferred candidates to win election.

Customer Reviews:

Ambitious and Successful Work on Interest-Group Politics.......2003-09-04

Gene M. Grossman and Elhanan Helpman astutely note "in their new book "Special Interest Politics" that "special-interest groups" (SIGs) admit of no easy definition. Grossman and Helpman sensibly adopt a definition with some empirical referents. An organization is something we can look for, and an identifiable group is a collection of individuals who resemble one another in some important respect, not just a collection of people with enough shared beliefs to have the potential to share goals and act on them."

"For Grossman and Helpman, "membership" in a group is defined functionally. Members of a group are those people whose preferences are taken into account by the leader(s) of the group. So, the main question they raise is: How do SIGs change the policymaking process? Do lobbyists improve or distort the process by providing information? The largest question is also the most difficult: How and why does money affect the policy process? What form of regulation of campaign finance, if any, would constitute an improvement over the present system?"

To capture the intricacies of group competition, Grossman and Helpman draw on nearly one hundred years of hindsight and a very precise model. "Their main results offer both some standard conclusions and some more surprising ones."

"First, SIGs can distort the process, sometimes dramatically, compared to what happens in a full-information world. Because that world is not the world of modern politics, however, it is not clear that this "distortion" should be a focus for policy."

"Second, the effects of lobbying may be counterintuitive. If two well-organized groups contest a policy, the information provided by lobbyists may result in a "distortion" that actually improves policy by moving it closer to the full-information ideal, in contrast to what happens in a world in which lobbying is outlawed. Further, lobbying organizations themselves may be made worse off by the availability of a lobbying strategy. More precisely, if members of interest groups must pay the lobbying costs and the net result is worse for them, they might well prefer an equilibrium where lobbying was outlawed. Something close to an "invisible hand" result may be lurking here: lobbyists pay to provide information that improves the quality of legislative debate and choice because competition forces them to participate to avoid and even worse outcome."

"Some of the other interesting discussions involve "access fees" for legislators, the information content of lobbyists who bias is known, and the value of grassroots lobbying of voters by interest groups (through direct contact)."

"The depth and scope of the literature Grossman and Helpman review and the range of topics they consider in this book are impressive. Much of the exposition is accessible, although the meat of the work is in the model developed in chapters 4-10. Grossman and Helpman's book may be the most ambitious and successful work on interest group politics in the past decade."

-From "The Independent Review," Spring 2003

Average customer rating:

More Relevant Than Ever

Beyond the power of imagination

Thought-Provoking and Compassionate

Excellent book

A HUNDRED STAR RATING

The Future of Peace: On the Front Lines with the World's Great Peacemakers
Scott Hunt
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Cultures of Peace: The Hidden Side of History (Syracuse Studies on Peace and Conflict Resolution)

Architects of Peace: Visions of Hope in Words and Images

I'd Rather Teach Peace

Tainted Legacy: 9/11 and the Ruin of Human Rights

The Words of Peace: The Nobel Peace Prize Laureates of the Twentieth Century-Selections from Their Acceptance Speeches (Newmarket Words Of...)

ASIN: 0062517422
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Book Description

In this illuminating journey around the globe, Scott A. Hunt takes us face to face with true heroes including: the Dalai Lama; the famed dissident of Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi; and the activist who brought peace to Latin America, Oscar Arias of Costa Rica, who share their historic struggles and show us how to find optimism in the face of anguish, and compassion in the place of animosity.

What does it mean to fight for peace? From the riotous streets in Burma to a prison cell in Vietnam, from the bombed–out streets of Belfast to the refugee camps of Palestine, Scott A. Hunt travels across the globe, often under arduous conditions, to report from the major battles that shaped and continue to shape our world.

Recounting histories that were not taught in school, and uncovering lessons which may have been brushed aside, Scott A. Hunt coaxes out in intimate conversations staggering stories from Vietnam's leading dissident Thich Quang Do, famed primate specialist and humanitarian Dr. Jane Goodall, Cambodia's Supreme Patriarch Maha Ghosananda, Ireland's Nobel Peace Laureate John Hume and other great leaders who have battled to end the brutality against the people and causes they cherish.

In the end, The Future of Peace reveals what it means to remain steadfast to a vision of compassion, to be a leader, and to preserve peace in our own day–to–day lives.

The Future of Peace is an extraordinary investigation that offers far–ranging insights and invaluable lessons – a book that changes the way we think about the world and our responsibility toward one another.

Customer Reviews:

More Relevant Than Ever.......2007-05-30

The perfect antidote to a mindset of vengeance. In this incredibly sexy take on the human condition, writer Scott A. Hunt takes readers down the noble and seemingly enigmatic road to peace. Insightful anecdotes paired with brilliant insights make for a fascinating read. Equally as spiritual as it is documentary; a must read for every contemporary thinking man's library.

Beyond the power of imagination.......2003-12-14

Scott successfully took on a monumental task of understanding the view points of peace makers and people who are caught in today's wars. The book is a journey into the most challenging edges of 21st century human psyche. In this journey, there are seemingly real people who are actors compelled to living out scripts that they don't even know they are living them. But there are some people who are aware. These people come across clear and sound as Scott vividly presents his interactions in most captivating manners - simple but graceful. Scott's intentions come across pure. The information he gathered are eye-opening. The stories he tells are startling.

Scott outstandingly weaves the history of humanists' thoughts. His account of nations' events makes social and science fictions pale in novelty. Facts indeed beget fiction. Can super powers not be aware of their own action? Are peace makers and Nobel Peace laureates simply instruments of time - when the human spirit can no longer endure the incredible injustice?

If you have often asked yourself why people, businesses, and government today have drag the world into the lowest of any moral standards and darkest moments of the human race, this book will be useful to you. It doesn't offers academic answers. It shows you the conditions around the world in a continuity of thought I have not seen. The conversation with the Dalai Lama on non-violence is both amazingly clear and inspiring. It is an account of risk management and decision analysis with enormous grace and solemnity. Expect a team consisting of a journalist, a philosopher, a historian, and a humanist to accomplish anything close to this book. As I put the book down in the stillness of the nights, I am moved beyond the power of my imaginations. - Tom Tuduc

Thought-Provoking and Compassionate.......2003-04-26

Scott Hunt has written a very moving and almost lyrical book in the way in which he blends some of the the worst horrors committed by humans against fellow beings with the compassion and kindliness of the peacemakers. It gives you a deep sense of hope and conviction that the spirit of humanity will tirumph eventually and inspires you to try hard as it may be to embrace the vices of those who still believe in commiting these violent acts.
Marvelouslly,it is also a political eye-opener into the true motivation of the actions taken in the name of peace by the political leaders...

Excellent book.......2003-03-03

This book is excellent in so many ways. Scott Hunt has given us an inspiring book. I learned so much in historical background and in the work of heroic people of our time.
I would urge anyone who wants an understanding of the problems in the world today to buy this book. Once you open it, you will be compelled to read it from cover to cover.
If you believe that the answer to all the issues of the world are simple, and that all the world except the US is bad, than I ask you to open your mind and take a look at the world described in these pages. If you believe that killing only creates more killing and there must be a better way, than allow these stories to provoke your mind.
The most compelling part of this book to me was the discussion of Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge. I ask you to please try and understand how it can be that such a monstrous people can be created, and how such horrible things can be done to human beings. This chapter will leave you wondering how you can ever again accept on the surface the "information" we are given. You will realize the consequences of violence. You will search your mind for answers that are not on the news.

This book is not perfect. I was left wondering more about the history of Costa Rica than I was given, for example. And there are times when Scott explains things more than I would like. I think he could leave his conclusions to the people he interviews. Others may find that that part of the book helps tie things together.
Still, overall the book was outstanding and deserves every bit of 5 stars.

A HUNDRED STAR RATING.......2002-12-20

The "Future of Peace" is perhaps the most compelling book I have ever read. I was very deeply moved by it. Scott A. Hunt is an outstanding writer and interviewer. He asks insightful questions of prominent peacemakers and receives soul searching, thought provoking answers, with overall themes of hope, forgiveness and perseverance. The interviews are more like informal discussions and I almost felt I was right there. He also gives excellent background information on the various areas of conflict where the peacemakers reside, with facts one doesn't learn in school or read/see often in mainstream news. I kept trying to put it down, so as to absorb each chapter, but had to continue to the end, almost nonstop. It is definately a book to read again and again. If all students, political leaders and citizens of the world read it and took the messages to heart, perhaps we could obtain a more peaceful world. In these troubled and treacherous times, Mr. Hunt and the peacemakers give a message that should be spread throughout the world, both heartbreaking and soul inspiring at the same time. If you are wondering whether to buy "The Future of Peace", just do it! You will be so glad you did!

Architecture and Tourism: Perception, Performance and Place

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Architecture and Tourism: Perception, Performance and Place

Manufacturer: Berg Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1859737099

Book Description

Architecture and Tourism examines the relationship between tourism and the built environment and shows how photography, film, and souvenirs have been deployed to help mediate and mythologize specific sites. It also explores how tourist itineraries, behavior, and literature support larger cultural objectives. Drawing upon case studies in the United States, Cuba, Ghana, Greece, France, Italy, Libya, Mauritius and Spain, Architecture and Tourism explores the touristic experience, representation and meaning of place within distinct cultural contexts. From the former sites of the slave trade on the Ghanean coast to the urban renewal of Old Havana and the honeymoon resorts in the Poconos, this book provides provocative insights into the practice of tourism and the conception of place.

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